‘No Confidence in Presidential Taskforce’ – Sen. Weah

DC political leader George M. Weah last Thursday called for the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to investigate the Global Witness report which has indicted some top government officials in a scandal concerning the circumvention of the Liberian Constitution to guarantee Sable Mining Company the leverage to explore the Wologizi Mountain in Lofa County.

Senator Weah said in a press statement that the Presidential Task Force headed by Minister Fonati Koffa lacks the constitutional backing to independently deal with a case as grave in nature as the Global Witness report.

“The government has set up a special Task Force headed by Cllr. Fonati Koffa, Minister of State Without Portfolio, to probe the bribery case, as well as identify the acronyms Big Boy 1 and Big Boy 2, but there is a legislatively constituted commission, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), that is responsible to probe corruption.

LACC enjoys budgetary appropriation so it should be given the full authority to investigate the matter,” he said.

Senator Weah also called on the Office of the President to include other actors in the investigation process in order to assure the public of a fair and reliable result without bias.

‘’I would also advise,’’ he said, ‘’that the LACC works along with Civil Society, the National Bar Association and other stakeholders in the investigation. This, I believe, will allay the fear of the investigating team hiding any important information from the public, as well as build trust between the investigators and the general public.”

According to the CDC standard bearer, the special Task Force setup by the President undermines the work of LACC, which has the legitimate backing to investigate corruption cases.

“It is sad to note that LACC is now a toothless bulldog and completely disregarded in the adjudication of corruption cases in the country. The selection of the Task Force speaks volumes of no confidence in the agency that is annually funded from the national coffers,” Weah added.

He spoke through his office in a press statement while in Abuja attending an ECOWAS Sitting.

He called on the National Legislature, the Executive, the Judiciary and other stakeholders to support the dissolution of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission if it is not performing its mandates as guaranteed by law.

It can be recalled, according to Global Witness information, that an alleged sum of US$950,000 was paid to Sherman and Sherman Law Firm, owned by Senator Varney Sherman, in order to bribe key government officials, including House Speaker J. Alex Tyler, in order to grant Sable Mining Company the right to mine the Wologizi Mountain without the due legislative process.

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